If You Build It, Where would It Be?
by Nick Laveglia
Outside of the question of who would finance a stadium and how long it will take to build, one
of the big questions is “where in New York City can you build?” At our Q and A in March, the Cosmos
mentioned sites in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens. While they did not specify where in the Bronx,
they did get into more specifics in Manhattan and Queens.
First we look at Randall’s Island. Mentioned at the Q & A session, this island lies between three
boroughs (Manhattan to the West, Queens to the East and The Bronx to the North). For those who say
there is no room to build in Manhattan, this is as close as they might get considering it is technically
part of the borough.

The positives of this location is that it would be very nostalgic as this is where Pele played his
first game as a New York Cosmo and it also offers a fantastic view of the New York City skyline. A
unique feature of this location would be the possibility of taking a boat over to the match. An MLS first
in it’s own right, one would also technically be able to take a boat from a stadium on Randalls Island to
the stadium in Harrison for Derby matches. How is that for the Hudson River Derby?
However, traffic is a main concern. With the Triboro bridge (yes we still call it that) being the
only way to access via automobile, if the Cosmos want to build an MLS sized stadium, even with water taxis, it would be difficult managing the crowd. Traffic could be a nightmare and turn the nostalgic
atmosphere in to one the fans want to avoid.
Now we will look at one of the most ideal spots in the city. The Sunnyside rail yards in Queens.
While this site was not mentioned by the Cosmos, it really could make for a fantastic location. Around
since 1910 this 192 acre site sits just about 2 and half miles from Grand Central Station in the heart
of midtown. It is accessible by car as well as many local trains including E, G, M, N, Q, R, 7, the LIRR

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and many local buses. This is another location that could give a fantastic backdrop of the NYC skyline
as well.
However, the issue with this location is cost. Not only would a stadium built in NYC be an expensive venture to begin with, but in order to build here, someone would have to eat the cost of the
platform that would need to be built on top of the rail yards. Given the size of the area, this platform
could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars and maybe even a billion to cover all the rail yards.
Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a nice chunk of change. Another downfall would be time, as to build the platform and stadium it

would put in jeopardy any potential 2013 start date. Heck, building this platform might take this team
into 2015 before it could start in its own stadium.
The most popular location which is the Flushing Meadow Park/Citi Field area. Rumors in 2008
had this as the location for a soccer stadium for a team owned by Mets owner Fred Wilpon but those
plans fell apart with the Bernie Madoff scandal. However, there has been some hope that this location
would still be on as at the Q and A the Cosmos have said there have been meetings with the Wilpons
and if they want to join for the ride, they would welcome it.
The Mets, whom are actually borrowing money from baseball to survive due to the Madoff lawsuits, do not seem to be the most financially stable. So that should wipe this plan off the board - right?
Wrong! The City of New York actually owns the land in Flushing Meadow Park and that includes the
land that Citi Field is built upon. That leaves open the door for an agreement with the City, Cosmos
and Mets to get something done on this location that might actually give the Mets some much needed
money.
The main issue with this location is parking. Building a stadium in the Citi Field parking lot would
eat up much needed parking spaces and the cost of a new parking structure in that area would be
quite high as the ground beneath the surface, is, well, literally garbage and one would have to dig
deep to get stability. The parking lot in City Field was probably the location most fans were thinking.
However, during the Q and A there was actually mention of a 15 acre site that has been spoken about
for years.

Sit back and take a trip down memory lane. Do you remember when the Olympic bid was in
Cont. on P6

In an event hosted by the Borough Boys SC at Legends Bar NYC, press, fans, and Borough Boys
members were treated to a Q&A session with the New York Cosmos front office.
Borough Boys president Nick Laveglia introduced to the audience Joe Fraga and Dan Cherry III,
who along with Cosmos Academy East Director Giovanni Savarese, who were ready to answer any
questions about the New York Cosmos.
While everything from the stadium plans, the Cosmos Academies, their deal with Umbro, the
“Beckham” rumor, the Cosmos Copa, and potential sites were all addressed, last night was more about
questions and answers.
Last night was about both sides declaring to each other, “We love the Cosmos and we want
them back!”
As corny and cheesy this may sound, that’s what it was all about. Now I understand some of
you want a more professional assessment, so in layman business talk, “Last night, a synergy was developed amongst the New York Cosmos front office and the Borough Boys.”
On one side, you have the New York Cosmos, who are working diligently in becoming the 20th
team for Major League Soccer.
Despite the misconception some may have of the New York Cosmos not being the New York
Cosmos, the majority of their staff are soccer fans and New Yorkers who have their own personal history with the New York Cosmos.
As a result, they understand what New Yorkers want and expect from their soccer club.
Nothing was more honest than seeing Joe Fraga and Dan Cherry explain to the audience that they’ve
met with the Wilpons as well as other parties.
In addition, they have looked into the Bronx, Manhattan, and Randall’s Island as potential sites
other than Queens.
Most in the audience appeared relieved to hear that David Beckham will not be involved with
the New York Cosmos because his contract stipulates that if he wants to be part of franchise, it can’t be
in New York or California.
In addition, the audience clearly heard Joe Fraga insist that the New York Cosmos is a well-funded organization and their money is in-house.
While the audience, for obvious reasons, wasn’t provided the actual plans, they have a better

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idea of the challenges the New York Cosmos are currently facing and will have to eventually address.
Variables such as zoning, the Community Boards, meetings with the politicians and Major League Soccer are things the New York Cosmos are dealing with.
The best part about last night was when Savarese passionately spoke about the 600 children the
New York Cosmos are educating in their Academies.It appeared the audience was temporarily enchanted when Giovanni informed them that the players are playing the 4-3-3; the same type of offense
they’re expecting from the future MLS team.
He also stressed the importance of developing not only good players, but good citizens that
when they’re off the pitch, their players will make the right decisions in their lives.
He also pointed out the reality that most of the players will not achieve the professional level, but
they will be good enough to obtain a college scholarship for their education.
On the other side, you have the Borough Boys SC. Their members consist of all cultures, genders, and ages. Some have seen the Cosmos play, while others have heard tales or watched them on
YouTube clips.
Despite the generational difference, everyone is committed to doing their part in assisting the
New York Cosmos in any way they possible.
Personally, I wish I had the time to interview them all, because I believe their stories are just as
important as the team’s history.
Not only do I find their stories stimulating, but they have serious talented members that once they
find their flow, they’re going to be one of the most electrifying supporters club to follow.
After the Q&A was over, I was asked by a couple of audience members (who read my articles)
for my opinion of last night’s event. If this was a play titled, “The Eventual Return of the New York Cosmos,” I would say the first act has concluded.
While the Cosmos have yet to be declared the 20th MLS team, one important thing that was
obvious from last night’s Q&A is that they all love the New York Cosmos and want them to return.

place and it all depended on the West Side Stadium? Well, after that was shut down, the city quickly
(and I mean in days) put together a back up plan for a stadium in Flushing Meadows Park for the Olympic Stadium and the Jets. There was also a lot of talk of including a Major League Soccer team for that
venue. The New York Jets wanted no part of it and instead built in the meadowlands.

Where does all of that leave us? It leaves us with a 15 acre site with stadium drawings, surveys,

studies, which, at least at one time, had the approval of City and local officials. If you don’t know that
site, it would replace the Fountain of Planets seen as the secret alien spaceship in 1997 Will Smith film
“Men in Black”. The Jets wanted no part of that plan but has the city always thought of redeveloping
that section of the park? With the local community being soccer enthusiasts, could this be a great area
for a soccer stadium and soccer academy called “COSMOS COUNTRY”

So those are just some potential locations that can be built on. Can they be built by 2013? That

is a completely different story for another time.

❺

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A Brief History of the Borough Boys
by Chris Dobens

Most people come to New York City to pursue their dreams. For two native New Yorkers, Nick

Laveglia and Paul Morabito, their dream was to bring others to the Big Apple – specifically a Major
League Soccer team located within the five boroughs of New York City.

Nick and Paul met on BigSoccer.com, the online message board that – for better or worse –

functions as a hub for a good portion of the American soccer community. The two shared a mutual
interest in seeing a professional soccer team that truly represented New York City.

But what distinguishes them from most people on online forums is that they actually did some-

thing about it. They formed an advocacy group to generate interest from both Major League Soccer
and the various political gatekeepers throughout the city in bringing an MLS franchise – and its stadium
– to one of the five boroughs.

This was the genesis of the Borough Boys, a supporters group for a New York City-based MLS

team. It was officially founded on November 17, 2007, at a time when there were rumors that the Wilpons, owners of the New York Mets, were interested in building a soccer-specific stadium for an MLS
team in Queens. To help drive this effort, and interest in the game throughout the city, the Borough Boys
created a Web site, BoroughBoysNYC.com, along with a blog and social media profiles.

The Borough Boys met with the Wilpons as well as with City Hall and the Borough of Brooklyn

to discuss an MLS franchise in the city. They have also been busy building support for such a franchise
throughout New York’s diverse soccer community.

The idea of a New York City professional soccer team makes perfect sense. With New York’s

multicultural mix, the city boasts a higher concentration of soccer fans than any other in the country.
Plus, it has a long tradition fielding and supporting soccer teams.

New York’s most famous soccer team was the New York Cosmos, which gained global popu-

larity when it brought in stars like Pele and Beckenbauer as part of the NASL in the 70s. And, as fate
would have it, the New York Cosmos are once again the most famous soccer team in New York City.

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A new ownership group is rebuilding the New York Cosmos from the ground up, beginning with

a strong youth academy. Naturally, the Borough Boys have developed a close relationship with the new
Cosmos, as the team seems destined to secure the 20th MLS franchise for New York City in 2013.

The Borough Boys have met regularly with the New York Cosmos, providing feedback from a

fan’s perspective as well as helping them grow a strong local fan base. Last year, the Borough Boys
converted their generic NYC soccer blog to ThisIsCosmosCountry.com, establishing themselves as a
New York Cosmos supporters group.

Today, the Borough Boys represent the city’s broad spectrum of soccer fans. They have more

than 1,000 official members, but their online reach touches all corners of the New York soccer scene.
Their ranks range from young MLS fans to those who watched the original Cosmos some 35 years ago,
including soccer purists as well as hardcore New York sports fans – the type who religiously read every
column of the New York Post’s sports pages. And that diversity explains much of the passion that fuels
the group, which is as much about the love of the game as it is about the desire to see it played – and
played well – here in the city that never sleeps.

“We want to create a true soccer culture, both in and out of the stadium,” explained Borough

Boys president Nick Laveglia. “We want to make our New York City stadium a fortress – the true 12th
man – the toughest place to come and play in the league.”

As the organization continues its advocacy work for an MLS franchise in New York City, it will

evolve into a more traditional supporters club, eventually charging dues, hosting events, and supporting
charitable causes. That’s not to say it hasn’t already done so, hosting events with the Cosmos as well
as participating in city-wide soccer events. Its 2010 MLS Cup party was a huge success, and plans are
already underway for this year’s event. The Borough Boys are also looking to align themselves with a
local soccer charity, though it’s rumored that the New York Cosmos will soon announce their own foundation.

opers as well as those with legal expertise. The organization hopes to establish itself as a non-profit
and has already begun to roll out a number of initiatives – such as this digital magazine – which is part
of its publishing arm, Five Points Media.

Clearly the Borough Boys already have an interesting history. But, like the New York Cosmos,

their focus is on the future. As the Cosmos ramp-up towards what is expected to be a 2013 entry into
MLS, the Borough Boys will be right there alongside them, paving the way, laying the groundwork, and
creating space for them to shine. We invite you to be a part of it.

❺

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If It Can’t Make it Here, It Can’t Make It Anywhere
by Leo Glickman
We all look forward to the day when the average native born American is following the beautiful game with the same interest he or she follows baseball’s 162 game season or the other three major
sports. The day will come, but let’s face it, even the most optimistic of us see it at least as the medium
term project. In this writer’s opinion, that day will come when the attendance levels at Major League
Soccer stadiums make it impossible for the mainstream sports media to ignore. So how do we fill up
the seats today?
The low hanging fruits for great MLS attendance are immigrants. They come here seeking a better life, while often holding on to many of the cultural traditions from the homeland such as food, music
and sport – and for most, the sport of choice is soccer.

What does any of this have to do with Soccer in Queens? The answer should be obvious. Of
Queens’ 2.23 million people, astoundingly half, a full half, are foreign born, and half of the foreign
borns are from Latin America. That’s more than 550,000 people. Who are these Latin Americans?
Well since Puerto Rico is a commonwealth, Puerto Ricans don’t count as foreign born. The full data isn’t
in, but we know that as of 2000, there were 187,000 Mexicans, 138,000 Ecuadorians, and 105,000
Colombians living in Queens. Likely, these numbers are higher today. In fact, New York City is the
third largest Ecuadorian city in the world, and that includes Ecuador! A quick survey of the shops and
restaurants on Roosevelt Avenue clearly proves that there are tens of thousands of Hondurans, Guatamalans, Salvadorans, Peruvians, Argentinians too. As we are all aware, in some cases as US national
team supporters, painfully aware, these are soccer loving nations.
We would be remiss, however, if we excluded the other immigrant populations from consideration. We certainly would not want to alienate, for example, the Irish just a little further west along
Roosevelt Avenue. Over 120,000 residents of Queens identify as Irish, and over 11,000 of them were
actually born in the old country. And judging from the accents, or lack thereof, at the televised Celtic
matches, the football tradition has been passed down in Irish families to the second generation living

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here. 180,000 identify as Italian, with over 27,000 born in Italy and almost 50,000 speaking Italian
at home. Have you found a Greek owned restaurant or shop yet in Astoria that doesn’t have a poster
of the 2004 Euro Champions yet? And with large influxes of Polish, Romanians and Russians, it would
seem that European communities would be fertile ground for an MLS team in Queens.
To the South of Flushing Meadows Corona Park are huge West Indian communities. Based
on 2000 census figures, Haitians are at 35,000, Jamaicans at 55,000 and Trinidadians at 20,000.
These are by and large soccer mad people, and one suspects they would take a short bus or car ride
to the stadium to see a decent product at an affordable price. Oh, and right across Flushing Creek live
most of Queens’ 70,000 Koreans, who I heard made a pretty good showing at the 2002 World Cup.
None of this is to denigrate the native born black or white American soccer fan. Yours truly is one of
them. But it does seem that the borough of Queens provides a large built in market within a three mile
radius of a well place soccer specific stadium. If it can’t make it here, it can’t make it anywhere! ❺

MLS vs Cosmos
by Brandon Sonnier

We’ve had quite a busy month for news on the Expansion Front. We’ve heard from the Cosmos
in their efforts when they attended the Borough Boy’s Q&A event; giving us (vague) details about their
stadium plans and relationship with Don Garber and MLS.
Garber himself has come out with seemingly many different opinions on how far or close the
Cosmos are to actually becoming the 20th MLS team. He’s gone from “within the year”, to nowhere
close to being finalized. Just recently in Montreal “The Don” spoke: “Unlike the success we had here
with working with the municipality on expansion of Saputo Stadium, we’re at ground zero as it relates
to that soccer stadium for a team in New York. But we’re working on it. Hopefully within the next year
we’ll be able to get something finalized.”
But tracking back to last October we get this: “12 months”, then only 10 days later we get “6-8
months.” Now it looks like currently we slide back to “hopefully within the year.”
The only constant with Garber is his utter refusal to put the Cosmos as the leader in the ownership race for the New York Team. Donnie is always quick to add that they are “one of many” ownership groups seeking expansion; ( it’s no secret he has a huge man-crush on Fred Wilpon.)

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So where does this leave the Cosmos as of now? If we listen to the Cosmos’ front office, we can
take that they are in fact the front-runners in this race. According to the Cosmos, they meet with MLS on
a weekly basis and are currently in talks with the City about the stadium process.
They have the money, they have the plans, they have their foot in the door. No other ownership
group can touch what the Cosmos have carefully planted here in New York.
To me, this public show is like a boxing match. MLS comes out strong and won’t back down,
showing everyone who runs the show, with the Cosmos in the other corner, coming out with moves no
one can match. The story is not who wins this match-up; the story is what round MLS goes down, and
what it cost the Cosmos for MLS to take a dive. ❺